On the eve of the elections, we head to Verviers, where the stakes are high.
We meet Maxime Degey, outgoing alderman and lead candidate for "Ensemble Verviers" this Sunday.
Since 2011, you have taken on a range of different responsibilities. From the Environment and Cleanliness to Tourism, Economic Affairs, Trade and Mobility, since 2022 you have been in charge of Public Works and Town Planning.
Maxime, the MR has been part of the majority in Verviers for a while now. As an outgoing alderman yourself, don't you also bear some responsibility for the current record?
Of course, and I'm proud of the MR's record within the majority.
We've taken on extremely heavy projects, with some difficulties but also successes. If you compare the state of our infrastructure before 2018 with now, the difference is clear, and we could have done even better without the floods and Covid.
Verviers is the smallest of the large cities. What solutions have been devised to boost population growth again?
The main challenge is bringing residents back to the city centre. To do this, the outgoing majority focused on renovating and building new housing.
There too, the MR has been very active, launching two major housing projects in the city centre.
Now the main task is to attract young people, who too often leave the centre due to a lack of housing options. But also to address the concerns of the ageing population, who are asking for more proximity and better access to services.
How do you see Verviers in 10 years - with the MR at the helm - what is your wish?
In Verviers, people say “Green and Old”. I think that's a lovely slogan.
If we can live in a greener city, with villages preserved from unchecked urbanisation, and want to stay there our whole lives thanks to its many assets.
Then, for me, that bet will already have paid off.
If our readers spend a day in Verviers, which addresses and places are must-sees?
There are so many great addresses - despite what people might think - that it's impossible for me to name them all. We have wonderful shopkeepers, and we owe it to them to be even more effective!
On the other hand, Verviers is the ideal starting point for the High Fens and the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. I invite you to come and watch our president, Georges-Louis, in his next race at the circuit, and then meet up in Verviers for the debrief.